Flow control apparatus



April 14, 1959 E. E. MEUsY FLOW coNTRox. APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 4, 1955 je j] /IQVENTOR Eu n E a afm/ 7 e36/AMM April 14, 1959 E. E. MEUsY FLow CONTROL APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. Eu gene E Neus BY CH Pult/Mack JH'Z" s Filed Jan. 4, 1955 FLOW CONTROL APPARATUS Eugene E. Meusy, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Baso Inc., Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation of Wisconsin Application January 4, 1955, Serial No. 479,820

11 Claims. (Cl. 137-66) This invention relates to ow control apparatusl and more particularly to unitary control means for manual control of fluid flow and automatic shut-olf thereof upon j occurrence of a predetermined condition.

A primary object of the present invention is to provide a unitary control device for fluid fuel burners, wherein such device affords flow interruption of fuel ow to a main burner during ignition of a pilot burner, 100 percent shut-off of fuel flow upon extinguishment of the pilot flame and ready removability of the safety shut-0E unit without need for shutting off the flow of fuel upstream of the control device.

Another object is the provision of a valve device of the class described having a single plug valve for control of fuel flow upstream and downstream of a safety shut-off` valve whereby said plug valve is operable to provide ow interruption during pilot ignition and shut-olf of 100 percent of the fuel flow upstream of said safety shut-off valve to permit removal of the latter for repair or replacement without coincidental escape of fuel.

Another object is to provide a small compact flow control device capable of providing flow interruption of fuel ow to a main burner during ignition of a pilot burner and 100 percent shut-olf of fuel ow upon occurrence of a predetermined condition.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a unitary control device having a manually operable flow control member formed with a relatively large cavity and safety shut-olf means having a valve member operable within the cavity of said ow control member to provide safety shut-olf of fuel flow upon occurrence of a predetermined condition.

Another object is to provide a unitary'valve device as aforedescribed having flow interrupter means to shut olf main fuel ow during ignition of a pilot burner.

Another object is to provide a unitary valve device as aforedescribed having a resilient safety shut-olf valve member `for cooperation with the cavity in saidflow control device, said resilient valve member capable of being deformed in order to assume the shape of said cavity whereby adherence to close dimensional tolerances is not required during the manufacture of the iiow control member or the safety shut-off member.

Another object is to provide a device of the aforementioned character wherein the safety shut-off valve member is retained partially within the cavity formed in said ow control member when n reset position to thereby eliminate undue turbulence of fuel ow through said cavity, which turbulence has been found to have a detrimental effect on the capacity of the device.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a unitary control device of the above nature which is simple in construction, inexpensive to manufacture and easy to operate.

The novel features which I consider characteristic of my invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The device itself, however, both as to its organization andmodeof. operation, togethenwith ice additional objects and advantages thereof, will best be i understood from the following description of a specific embodiment when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a sectional view taken along a vertical center line of a valve device embodying the present invention showing the plug valve in pilot position and reset mechanism and safety shut-off means tion;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken along the same center in reset posiyline asFigure l, but showing the reset mechanism in retracted positionand the plug valve in on position; and Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view of the plug valve taken along line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Like reference characters indicate corresponding parts 4`throughout the several views of the drawings.

Referring to Figure 1 of the drawings, the numeral 10 designates a main burner which may be for use in a room or space heater, or for use in a water heater, a oor furnace, an oven burner, one or more stove top burners, or for use in any other suitable fluid fuel burning device or -apparatus. A fuel supply conduit 12 leads to main burner 10 for delivery of gaseous or other fluid fuel thereto, for example through a mixing chamber 14 through which air is admitted through adjustable inlets (not shown), as is Well understood in the art. A unitary safety shutolf and fluid ilow control device designated in its entirety at 16 is interposed in the fuel supply conduit 12 for control of the fuel supply to said main burner 10 and to a pilot burner 11 as will hereinafter appear. The pilot burner 11 is fixed to one end of a fuel supply conduit 13 and is positioned adjacent main burner 10 in heating relation therewith to afford ignition of said main burner 10 in a manner well known in the art.

The unitary safety shut-off and fuel iiow control device 16 comprises a main valve body 18 formed with an inlet opening 20, a main outlet opening 22 and a pilot or auxiliary outlet opening 23. The conduit 13 is fixed to the valve body 18 within said pilot outlet opening 23. The valve body 18 is further formed with a cavity 24 which may be frusto-conical in shape and which interconnects said inlet 20 and outlets 22 and 23 to provide communication therebetween.

Positioned within said cavity 24 of main body 18, is a ow control member or plug valve 26 formed with an inlet port 28 for registration with inlet opening 20, and f in the wall of valve 26 so as to register with inlet openf ing 20 while said valve is in pilot position and the outlet port 30 is therefore out of registration with outlet opening 22 in valve body 18. As will be further explained'with reference to the operation of device 16, this arrangement affords fuel flow to pilot burner 11 for ignition thereof, while preventing fue] flow to main burner 10 to thus provide ow interruption during resetting. A slot 31a is also formed in valve 26 and extends from pilot port 31 to inlet port 28 so that plug valve 26 may be moved from its pilot position, wherein pilot port 31 is in registration with inlet opening 20, to its on position, wherein inlet port 28 is in registration with said inlet opening 20,'Without interruption of fuel ow to pilot burner 11.

A valve member 34 formed of resilient or elastic material is positionedJ within cavity 32 for cooperation with` Patented Apr. 14,1959

formed of resilient material to afford gas-tightseating I engagementthereof within the cavity 32witlioutrequiring-adherence to'close dimensional tolerances during manufacture of either of said valve members 26and'34'.L

The valve member 34 and cavity-32 may take"y any ,desiredy'fsha'pe` orl form, it Ymerely -being'necessary for the valve to firmly seat1within cavity '32, in order .to interruptI the aforementioned fuel flow.

Theopenendof cavity 24 of main body 18 is formed with fastening means such as threads for receivinga springretainer 35. f Threadably secured to retainer 35is a mounting' nut 36. A hood assembly 38 comprising a U-sha'pedcore member 40, an electromagnet winding 42;

and-an armature 44 for cooperation with'saidcore mem. ber 40, is positioned within vmounting nut 36J as' shown in Figures-1 and 2. Said'hood assembly SSfurthe'r comprises an enclosure 46 and mounting plate 48fo'r com:y pletely` enclosing the aforementioned hood assembly parts as a single unit; As shown in the drawings, said mountingplate 4S'is formed with an extended tubular portion-which may be formed with external threads "affording mounting of the hood assembly 3S onmountin'g nut 36 as by meansof nut 50,

Aslshown in Figuresl and 2, I prefer to use a sealing ring'lor-washervbetween valve body 1? and spring re-` tainer 35, between retainer 35 and mounting nut 36," and p between mounting nut 36 and nut '50 to provide "a gas-.

tight yseal preventing escape of fluid fuel during opera.- tion of flow control device 16.

A rivet 52 insulatedlyipositioned within core member 40 and mounting plate 48 is employed as'a terminal memberf'and as fastening means `to rigidly fasten said core member^40 in a given position within enclosure 46. One end= offelectromagnet winding 42 is fastened to rivet 52 as by means of soldering or other form of welding, while.

the other end-thereof is fastened inany well known mannerito mounting plate 48.

A valve stem 54 extending through an opening inthe end wall of enclosure 46 interconnects valve member 34 andarmature 44 as clearly shown in .the drawings.. In order to provide a flexible hinge connection between valve member 34 and stem 54, I prefer to form said valve-'member 34 with an opening having an annularfridge Because of theresilient nature of. valve member 34,

I prefer to employ a back-up plate 56 on `one side thereof to provide a firm surface against which a reset return springv 60 may exert its force. Said back-up plate `56.is formed with an opening having a loose lit with respect to valve stern 54;' In order to relieve resilient valve member 34 of the force of such compression spring 60v I employ a snap ring 5S positioned within an annular Y groove formed in stem 54- between back-up plate S6 and;

valve member 34.

The spring is interposed between backup plate S6l and enclosure 46 to effect return of valve member 34 to its flow-preventing position upon occurrence of a predetermined condition as vwill be hereinafter more fully explained. A compression spring 62 is interposed be tween spring retainer 35 and valve 26 to maintain firmv seating engagement of said plug valve 26 within cavitylls A thermoelectric generator, or `therrnocouple 70 formed n of dissimilar meta1s72and'74 .andhaving a, fhot?. june,- .75

tion is positioned adjacent pilot burner 11 in heating relation therewith, and as shown schematically in the drawings, is connected in series circuit relation with the electromagnet winding 42 through rivet 52 and mounting plate 4S, for example by means of a coaxial type lead.

An operating stem 76 having both rotational and rectilinear movement within an opening formed in main Vbody 18, is provided with an end portion 78 having rectilinear movement within an opening 26a formed in plug valve 26. while being non-rotatable with respect thereto to afford rotation of said valve 26 as will hereinafter appears'-v In the drawings, end portion 7S is shown as i' being formed with a substantially squaretransverse crosssection for cooperation with a square-shaped opening formed in valve member 26, although it is believed readily apparent that stem 76 may be keyed to said valve 26fin. any..desired manner which permits of rectilinear movement .with respect thereto while preventing rota-- tional,.movement relative thereto. I prefer to employ an "O-ring 80 to prevent'escape of iluid between operating stemy76. and mainbody 18. An operating handle 82 is rigidly secured to the external end of stem 76 for manual operationof the latter as will hereinafter be explained. A compressionfspring 84 is interposed between handle 82 .-and main body 18l to effect return of operating stem 76 4to its .retracted position following resetting of hood assembly. 38.

A pin 86 for sliding movement within an opening 83 formed inhandle 82'is rigidly secured to main body 1S as cshown in the drawings. Such sliding engagement between pin 86 and opening 83 (Figure l) is permitted to occur :only while handle 82 is in its pilot" position thus-insuring against resetting of said safety shut-off` device in all positions other than pilot position yof plug valve 26. The designations pilot, on and oit of Figure 3 refer to the position of plug valve 26 and operatingfhandle 82 with `respect to pin 86; wherefore rotation of operating handle 82 so that the center line designated as on is aligned'with pin 86 as shown in Figure 3 places plug valve 26 in on position wherein port 28 is in registration with opening 20 and port 30 is in registration with opening 22. Although not specifically shown in the drawings, I prefer to mark operating handle 82 with the words on, pilot and off and to place an indicating mark or arrow on valve body 18 adjacent pin 86 so thatfvalve body 26 can be moved to any desired( position bymerely aligning the appropriate designating word with such indicating mark as is well understood in the art.

The operation of the apparatus shown in the drawings is as follows:

In order to effect ignition of the .main burner 10 following termination of fuel .ow .to boththe main and pilotburners, it is rst .necessary to rotate handle-82 to its 'pilot position. vIn addition to aligning pin 86 with'opening 83y in handle v82 in order topermit of subsequent resetting movementof said handle, such rotation effects registration vof pilot port 31. with opening 20 to permit fuel to flow to cavityA 32 during such resetting movement. With handle.:821in fpilotposition, however, .fuel flow to main burner .10 is prevented due to a lackf'of registration betweenoutlet opening 22 and the ports formed invalve plug 26.A

Rectilinear movement of'fhandle 82 will then move operating stem 76 into engagement'with valve member 34. Continued movement of stem 76 causes valve member 34l to be movedto its flow-permitting position and armature 44 to be movedr to its attracted position with respect to magnet core 40, as clearly shown in Figure l. With valve member 34 in its flow-permitting position,

fuel is permitted :to ow through opening 20,'pilot port` 31, cavity'32, 'auxiliaryf outlet 23-and conduit 13to pilot burner :11..1 Thefuel Vthuslemitted from pilot burner 1l' f mayinbe ignitedgzin anydesiredi-manner.

inFigure 2 in order to ezect registration of outlet port 30`with outlet opening 22 and inlet port 28 with inlet opening 20. Fuel ow to pilot burner 11 is not interrupted during such movement of operating handle 82 because of slot 31a which interconnects port 31 and port 28.

Itis seen that in addition to the aforementioned gas ow toL pilot burner 11, fuel is now permitted to flow from cavity 32 through port 30, opening 22, and conduit 12 to main burner 10. The fuel thus emitted from main burner 10 is ignited by the flame of pilot burner 11.

Ihe amount of heat afforded by the flame of main burner 10 may be varied by merely adjusting operating handle 82 so as to vary the degree of registration between port 30 and opening 22 thereby varying the amount of fuel permitted to ow to main burner 10 and hence the size of the flame thereof.

Upon extinguishment of the flame of pilot burner 11, hot junction 75 of theimoelectric generator 70 is cooled by the surrounding atmosphere thereby decreasing the energization of electromagnet winding 42 to a point where the magnetic effect of core member 40 on armature 44 is insufficient to maintain armature 44 in its attracted position. 'When this condition prevails, spring 60 causes valve 4.member 34 to be returned to its flow-preventing position 'thereby interrupting fuel ow to both main burner 10 and pilot burner 11 thus affording 100 percent .shut-off.

Under'certain conditions, it may be desirable to remove the safety shut-off unit of the aforedescribed control device for purposes of repair or replacement of various of .the parts of hood assembly 38 or valve member 34. In this event it is merely necessary to rotate handle 82 to o position wherein plug valve 26 prevents fluid flow through inlet port 20. Mounting nut 36 may then be removed from `spring retainer 35 thereby removing hood assembly 38 and shut-off valve member 34 as a unit without effecting escape of fuel to the surrounding atmosphere. It is thus seen that the present invention utilizes a single plug valve for control of fuel ow both upstream and downstream of the safety shut-oi valve and eliminates need for a separate manually operable shut-0E valve upstream of the control device.

Although I have shown and described certain specic embodiments of my invention, I am fully aware that many modifications thereof are possible. My invention, therefore, is not to be restricted except insofar as is necessitated by the prior art and by the spirit of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A unitary safety shut-off and fluid flow control devicecomprising, a valve body formed with a cavity and having -an inlet and main and pilot outlets in communication therewith, a first valve member within said cavityand operable between flow-permitting and flowpreventing positions of uid flow between said inlet and main outlet, said first valve member being formed with an outlet Vport for registration with said main outlet as desired `and having a cavity providing communication between said inlet and outlet port and between said inlet and pilot outlet, safety shut-off means comprising a second valve member having a surface complementa] to a surface of vsaid cavity formed in said first valv member for seating engagement within said cavity upon occurrence of a predetermined condition to prevent fluid flow between said inlet and main outlet and between `said inlet and pilot outlet irrespective of the position of erating handle rotatable to effect operation of said first v Valve member between its said flow-permitting and owpreventing positions and reciprocatable to effect movement of said second valve member to its reset position and reset preventing means to prevent resetting of said second valve member unless said rst valve member is in position preventing flow between said inlet and main outlet.

2. A uid flow control device comprising, a valve body having an inlet, an outlet and an auxiliary outlet, a movable iiow control member in said valve body having first and second portions for cooperation respectively with said inlet and outlet for control of fluid flow respectively therethrough, resettable safety shut-off means within said body for preventing ow through said inlet upon occurrence of a predetermined condition, means movable in a first direction to reset said safety shut-olf means for permitting flow through said inlet and movable in a second direction to move said flow control member to vary the ow through said inlet and outlet, and means preventing resetting of said safety shut-off means unless 4 said second portion is positioned to prevent ow through said outlet, said ow control member being positionable independent of said safety shut-off device to permit ow through both said inlet and outlet following resetting, said ow control member being further positionable to pre-y vent flow through said inlet to permit removal of said safety shut-off means without effecting coincidental escape of fluid.

3. A fluid How control device comprising, a valve body having an inlet, an outlet and an auxiliary outlet, a movable shut-off cock in said valve kbody having rst and second portions for cooperation respectively with said inlet and outlet for control of uid flow respectively therethrough, resettable safety shut-off means within said cock between said rst and second portions for preventing flow through said inlet upon occurrence of a prefdetermined condition, means movable in a rst direction to reset said safety shut-olf means for permitting ow through said inlet and movable in a second direction to move said shut-olf cock to vary the ow through said inlet and outlet and means preventing resetting of said safety shut-off means unless said second portion is positioned to prevent ilow through said outlet, said shut-off cock being positionable independent of said safety shut-olf device to permit ow through both said inlet and outlet following resetting, said shut-off cock being further positionable to prevent flow through said inlet to permit removal of said safety shut-olf means without effecting coincidental escape of Huid.

4. A fluid flow control device comprising, a valve body having an inlet, an outlet and an auxiliary outlet, a movable plug valve in said valve body having irst and second portions for cooperation respectively with said inlet and outlet for control of iluid flow respectively therethrough, resettable electromagnetic safety shut-off means including a safety shut-off valve member within said plug valve between said first and second portions and a thermoelectric generator subject to the heat of a flame for preventing flow through said inlet upon extinguishment of said flame, means movable in a rst direction to reset said safety shut-off means for permitting ow safety shut-olf means unless said second portion is posi-` tioned to prevent ow through said outlet, said plug,

valve being positionable independent of `said safety shutolf device to permit flow through both's'aid inlet and outlet following resetting, said plug valve being furtherposi-U tionable to prevent flow through saidinlet to permit r'emoval of said safety shut-off means Withoutweffecting coincidental escape of uid.

5. VA uid flow control device comprising,a first .flow-- control member movable between ow-permittingandflow-preventing positions, a second flow control member cooperable with said first flow control member and having Y a flow-permitting position and a owfpreventing. position 1n engagement with said first flow control member, andv v rcsettable condition responsive operating means for saidsecond flow control member including holding meansy operable when reset to hold said second flow-control member in its flow-permitting position and responsiveetoI a given condltion to permit return of. said second Yilow member being positionable to prevent lfluid-flow through,-l said device regardless of the position lof said second flow f control member to permit removal,,ofirsaidxsecondfloweifecting coincidental escape of fluid. f

. `3() control member and operatmgmeans thereforwwithoutm 6. A iiuid flow control device comprising, fa first'fow control member having passage` means for -ow of con-1' trolled uid therein, said rst member being movable between ow-permitting and How-preventing positions, a second ow control member cooperable with said first flow control member and having a flow-permitting position-and a iow-preventing position in engagement with said first fiow control memberV to prevent flow of the controlled fluid through said passage means, and' Iesettable condition responsive operating means for said second flow control member for movement thereof from its How-permitting position to its flow-preventing position in engagement with saidfirst flow control member to prevent ow'of fluid through said passage means, and hence through said device regardless of the positionvof said rst flow control member, said first flow control member being positionable to prevent fluid flow through said device regardless of the position of said second flow control mem'- ber to permit removal of said second flow control member and operating means therefor without effecting coincidental escape of fluid.

7. A unitary safety shutfoif and fluid flow control device comprising, a valve body formed with a fluid passage, a first flow control member for-med with means including a cavity and positionable in said body to selectively afford and prevent communication between said.

cavity and said passage to respectivelyV permit andprevent fluid iiowy through said cavity anduid passage, ya

second flow control member having a surface lformed complementally of a surface of said cavity for* seating y engagement therewithin to prevent liuid iiow there through, said second liow control member being movable from said seating engagement to permitl fluid flow through said cavity, and resettable condition responsive operating means for said second flow control member including holding means operable when reset to hold said second flow ,controlrmember from its said *seatingv engagement within said cavity and operabletupon occurrence of a given condition to permit returnof said second flow control` member to seating engagement therewithin to prevent iluid flow through 'said cavity and hence to prevent fluid ow in said passage irrespective of the position of said first flow control-member, actuating and'reset means operatively associated with said first and second o'w control members and movable in one direction to effect movement of said first ilow control member ,from-its@ vsaid communication-preventing position toward its corn-v l"munication-permitting position, said'means beingmovable inv another direction to reset said safety shut-off y means, and means preventing movement of said actuating and reset means in said another direction to move said-'1` ysecond flow control member toward its flow-permitting position until after said first ow control member has been moved away from its said communication-prevent-- ing position by movement of said actuating and reset means in said one direction.

` 8. A unitary safety shut-off and fluid ow controldefvice comprising, a valve body formed with a uid pas-v sage, a first flow control member formed with means u including a cavity and positionable in said vbodyto selectively afford and prevent communication between saidV pavityand said passage to respectively permit andprevent fluid ilow through said cavity and fluid passage, a second flow .control member formed of resilient material and having a flow-preventing position within said cavity wherein said second. ow control member resiliently con- -forms to the shape of said cavity to prevent iiuid flow"v therethrough, said second flow control member also hav ing-a flow-permitting position, and resettable condition responsive operating means for said second iow control ff member including holding means operablevwhen aresetv -..-to hold said second flow control member in its flow,-y

permitting position and operable upon occurrence' of 1a given condition to permitreturn of said second ow con-U` fi trolV member to its flow-preventing position within said'-v cavityttoprevent yuid flow therethrough and hence lto preventcfluid flow in said passage irrespective of the-U position of said'i'irst flow control member, actuating and resetmeans operatively associated with said firstandv said second tiow controlmembers and movable in one-f direction to effect movement of said first flow control' member from its said communication-preventingposiv tion toward its communication-permitting position,said meansbeing movable in another direction to reset said safety'shut-off means, and means preventing movement' of said actuating and reset means in said another direction to move said second ow control member toward its flow-permitting position until after said first flow con- 'e trol lmember has been moved away from'its saidcom- 'Y munication-preventing position by movement offsaid r actuating and reset means in said one direction 9. A fluid flow controlling device comprisingva valveA body having an inlet and'a main outlet, a movableilow control member in said valve body having portions co-* operable with said inlet and outlet for control of fluid flow therethrough, resettable shut-off means within said Y; body having a flow-permitting position and movableto';

a shut-off position preventing flow through said inlet,l l means movable in a rst direction to reset said shut-olf means -to flowpermitting position and movable in a i second. direction to move said flow control member tot' vary the flow through said inlet and outlet, and means" preventing movement of said last-mentioned meanstin said first direction unless said flow control member-"is positioned to prevent flow through said outlet, said fiow control'member being positionable independentofsaid shut-off means to permit iiow through both said inlet and f outlet followingv resetting, said flow control member=beV ing further positionable to prevent flow through said@ inlet to permitvremoval of said shut-off means withoutlf" effecting coincidental escape of Huid.

l0. `A fluid flow controlling device comprising a valve body having an inlet and a main outlet, a movable flow-wy control member in said valve body having portions co-nnA operable with said inlet and outlet for control of fluidfloW therethrough, resettable shut-olf means withinrsaidbody"havi'ng a flow-permitting position and movable to Samva a shut-off position preventing ow through said inlet, means movable linearly in a rst direction to reset said safety shut-oi means to flow-permitting position and movable rotatably in a second direction to move said flow control member to vary the flow through said inlet and outlet, and means preventing linear movement of said last-mentioned means in said first direction unless said flow control member is positioned to prevent ow through said outlet, said iiow control member being positionable independent of said shut-oi means to permit flow through both said inlet and outlet following resetting, said ow control member being further positionable to prevent ow through said inlet to permit removal of said shut-off means without effecting coincidental escape of uid.

1l. A uid flow controlling device comprising a valve body having an inlet, a main outlet and an auxiliary outlet, a movable iow control member in said valve body having portions cooperable with said inlet and main outlet for control of tluid flow therethrough, resettable shut-E means within said body having a ow-permitting position and movable to a shut-oi position preventing flow through said inlet, means movable in a first direction to reset said shut-off means to flow-permitting position and movable in a second direction to move said flow control member to vary the ow through said inlet and outlet, and means preventing movement of said lastrnentioned means in said rst direction unless said ow control member is positioned to prevent ow through said main outlet, said ow control member being positionable independent of said shut-oi means to permit flow therethrough from said inlet to both of said main and auxiliary outlets following resetting, said ow control member being further positionable to prevent flow through said inlet to permit removal of said shut-olf means Without effecting coincidental escape of ilnid.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,911,759 Lenktis May 30, 1933 2,186,791 Willgoos Jan. 9, 1940 2,213,844 Mantz Sept. 3, 1940 2,556,337 Paille June 12, 1951 2,636,505 Paille Apr. 28, 1953 2,700,985 Gleasman Feb.v l, 1955 FOREIGN PATENTS 32,528 Switzerland June 6, 1905 

